


I shall but love thee better after death

by 88138a



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Dreams, Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, M/M, Mindfuck, Q is dramatic, Q ships it, Rain, i havent written in a while so this sucks, kind of, they're both big gay for each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2018-11-26
Packaged: 2019-08-29 17:11:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16748176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/88138a/pseuds/88138a
Summary: Tags explain it mostly. It's a lot. I'm so exhausted and can't think of a summary but I'm eager to publish it hahaIt's probably cute though and Daforge fics only come like once a week so ik yall starved mfs will click on this anyway. i love yalli promise its good





	I shall but love thee better after death

**Author's Note:**

> Title isn't relevant lol i just really like the poem it comes from. anyway like the tags said this probably sucks cause i havent written in months. enjoy nerds

The four members of the away team all stood together, anxiously waiting to leave the planet as the sky above them steadily grew darker.

Will tapped his combadge. “Away team to Enterprise, four to beam up.”

Data and Geordi stood motionless as blue light surrounded them, only to fade back out. Helplessly, they watched the others transport back onto the Enterprise.

Data tapped his combadge, only to be met with a distorted buzz. He frowned.

Geordi pulled himself out of his own thoughts and turned to Data. “What happened? Why didn’t we beam back with everyone else?”

“I do not know. But,” Data looked up to the oddly colored storm clouds forming overhead, “there is a possibility that the unusual electrical currents in those clouds could be causing some sort of interference.” 

Geordi looked up to the sky as well, raindrops falling onto his face. “Is this stuff dangerous? It’s not normal rain, that’s for sure.”

“I do not believe so.”

“Well, that’s a relief. We should probably still get out of the rain.”

Data nodded, leading the way. The rain became more and more intense, heavy raindrops being blown by the wind. The two searched for a cave in the mountains that surrounded them, hoping to find shelter from the rain or at least from the gusts of wind that continued to grow in intensity.

“Hey, I think I see something over there,” Geordi pointed ahead. 

As they made their way closer, it became clear that a small hole resided in the mountain Geordi had directed them towards. They both entered the cavern, footsteps echoing through the otherwise completely silent space. 

Geordi was first to break the silence, wiping the rain off of his face as he spoke. “How long do you think it’ll be until the rain dies down?”

Data paused for a moment to think, a habit he had picked up in his attempts to appear more human. “On most p-” Data’s voice was cut off by a brief burst of static. His eyebrows furrowed in mild alarm before he continued. “As I was saying, on most pla_ets, pre_ipi___ d__s ___ __s_ l-” Data cut himself off, giving Geordi a look of confusion.

“What’s happening to your voice, Data?” Geordi frowned, concerned.

“I d_ n_t __o_. P____s _h_ r___ __-”

“Data, I can’t understand a word you’re saying.”

Quick thinking as always, Data pulled out a PADD and began to type, but as soon as he made contact with the screen, it shocked Data and he dropped it reflexively.

“Do you think it could be the rain?” Geordi inquired.

Data opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out, so he opted to uncertainly nod his head. “Or the electricity.” He mouthed.

“Maybe. I wonder why my visor hasn’t been affected,” Geordi mused.

Had Geordi said that out loud, or had he imagined it? Data squinted to correct the blurring of the lights around him.

“Data, you okay?” Geordi cautiously walked closer to him. “Data?”

Data jumped slightly and returned eye contact. “Geordi?” Data mouthed.

“You kinda zoned out for a second.”

Data didn’t answer, just blinked in recognition. He faintly registered that standing was slowly becoming more of an effort along with everything else, so he lowered himself into a sitting position. He stared at the wall, his gaze not reaching anywhere in particular.

“Data, what’re you feeling right now?”

It took Data two seconds to realize that Geordi had asked him a question, and two more to comprehend what he had said. “I feel… tired.” Data mouthed silently.

“Tired? Like, physically?”

Data wasn’t sure how confident he could be in Geordi’s ability to read lips, but he continued anyway. “I am steadily losing my ability to focus as well as my fine motor functions."

Geordi frowned. “We need to get you back onto the ship. I’m going to step out for a second and see if the rain has eased up at all.”

Data nodded, more interested in how his vision was beginning to distort. He closed his eyes in an attempt to dull the chaos around him. He couldn’t hear the rain anymore. Maybe it had stopped. 

“-ata? Data?” Geordi’s voice pulled him back to reality.

Data’s eyes snapped open and he was met with Geordi’s concerned expression. He could feel his thought process slowing down with every second that passed.

“How is… the rain?” Data asked.

“I don’t know, but it looks better than before. With any luck it’ll stop within the hour.”

Data nodded, closing his eyes again. Everything was dark, but he couldn’t tell if his eyes were closed or not. Small drops of rain dripped from stalactites onto his hair. He counted as they fell. One, two, three...

 

He faintly registered a hand on his shoulder, and then several voices. How much time had passed? The world slowly faded again.

 

He felt himself moving. Or being moved. He tried to move his head or even open his eyes, but nothing came of his efforts. Data opened his mouth to ask where he was, but all that came out was a short burst of static. 

 

His eyes slowly opened. A small voice in his back of his head wondered if he was dying.

The ceiling was white, but he discovered he could only be so accurate when his color vision had gone entirely. 

Geordi walked into his line of view and began to speak to him, but he could only partially tell what he was saying. “Don’t w___, _ata, you’ll be al___ht.” 

Data closed his eyes again, and no matter how hard he tried, they wouldn’t reopen, so he let sleep pull him under.

\-----

Data’s eyes slowly blinked open. He found himself standing, looking up towards storm clouds which had just begun to form.

“Are you okay, Data?”

“I do not know,” Data said, surprised to have his voice. “Why are we not back on the Enterprise?”

Geordi quirked an eyebrow. “Where were you these last couple minutes? I’ve been trying to snap you out of it.”

Data blinked in alarm, checking his internal chronometer. It had only been 3 minutes, 22 seconds, and 7 minutes, 8 seconds since they had beamed down. “I was…” Data struggled to remember. “I am having difficulty accessing the memories.” He paused. “Has the rain permanently stopped?”

“What rain?”

Data furrowed his eyebrows in confusion before looking around, realizing that in the distance, he could see Will and a lieutenant whose name he couldn’t recall. The sky remained mostly clear, rain nowhere in sight.

Data paused for a moment, struggling to grasp what words he wanted to use. “I believe something in this planet’s atmosphere is having negative effects on, um-, on my cognitive functions.” He briefly squeezed his eyes shut, trying to regain focus.

“I can tell. Do you think you’ll be alright or do you want to head back onto the ship?”

“I… what?”

The world seemed to jerk sporadically around Data, time speeding up and slowing down at random intervals. Data squeezed his eyes shut, trying to gain control of his thoughts.

\-----

“You okay?” Geordi’s voice pulled him back to reality once more, this time in main engineering.

Data shook his head, taking a deep breath to calm his anxiety. “I do not know what is happening to me,” he began, distress clear in his voice. “I appear to be jumping from place to place. I do not know what is real and what is a figment of my imagination. This is probably only temporary as well, and the next time I close my eyes I will be somewhere else.”

Geordi was unsure how to respond. “Have you tried running a diagnostic? Maybe your dream program is interfering with your waking state.”

“That is unlikely.”

“And the rest of this isn’t?”

Data shrugged awkwardly before losing focus as he began to run a level 5 diagnostic.

“I see nothing out of the ordinary with my dream program or anything else that could be causing this. Perhaps this is a dream too.”

Data, never one to waste time, closed his eyes and waited.

\-----

Data sighed in a mixture of relief and frustration as he now found himself alone in his quarters.

He walked towards the door and it slid open, and in that moment he was glad for his superhuman reflexes because without them he would have fallen into empty space.

He knew he was getting somewhere. Each dream was shorter, and now they were beginning to fall apart. He closed his eyes again.

\-----

Will pressed his combadge. “Away team to Enterprise, four to beam up.” 

Geordi and Data watched as the transporters lost connection and left them behind on the planet.

Data closed his eyes.

“Data? What are you doing?”

“I am attempting to get to the end of this.”

Geordi paused, confused. “What?”

He opened his eyes, unsure of whether or not this was the end. As he opened his mouth to respond, he watched the world slowly crumble around him. 

\-----

Data gasped as his eyes snapped open, drawing the attention of Geordi.

“Data! I’d thought I was going to lose you.” He said, tears welling in his eyes as he smiled in relief. He cleared his throat. “Do you remember what happened?”

Data blinked in confusion, shaking his head. Realizing that he was lying down, he attempted to sit up, but was stopped by multiple wires connected from his head to various monitors.

“Yeah, sorry,” Geordi began, walking over to carefully remove the wires. “That storm really did a number on you, and it was the only way I could make sure you were still alive.”

“So the storm was real?” Data asked, noticing the faint static in his voice.

Geordi nodded. “How much do you remember?”

“We had found shelter from the rain inside of a cave. I had begun to experience difficulties speaking, and I started to lose my vision shortly after. I partially recall being brought back to the Enterprise. How long have I been unconscious?”

“About five days,” Geordi answered.

Data sat up in alarm. “Five days?”

Before Geordi had the chance to answer, they were both enveloped in a white flash of light.

\-----

A dark, unclear silhouette appeared in front of the two of them, a contrast to the endless, white space they stood in. “Alright, fine! I can see that you’re both awful at this. Or maybe I’m just impatient. Don’t worry, of course, as I am an expert at taking things into my own hands, lucky for you both.”

“Q?” Geordi asked, incredulous.

“Wow, and to think you were always given the role of Watson,” Q retorted, stepping into view. “Anyways, you’re both lucky I am quite dedicated, or you’d never find out the truth.”

“The truth?” Geordi and Data asked simultaneously.

Q threw his head back in laughter, and then resumed, straight-faced, minus a hint of mischief in his expression. He walked over to Data and stared him in the eyes. “How long have you known Geordi?”

Data paused, appearing to be struggling against something. His eyes suddenly went blank, and he answered, entirely monotone. “Since 2364, when Geordi first was assigned to the Enterprise-D.”

“And how long have you been in love with him?”

“Ever since I first discovered what love feels like.” Data answered again, unmoving.

“See? How easy was that?” Q proclaimed, removing his gaze from Data.

Data blinked, surprised, before recalling what he had said. A cold dread ran up his spine and he buried his face in his hands, more embarrassed than he had ever been in his entire life. He knew Geordi would hate him now. This was why he had never said anything. Why couldn’t he have looked away? He would have to transfer to another ship. He could never face any-

“Data.” Geordi placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Slowly, cautiously, Data removed his face from his hands. Despite all of the thoughts running through his head, he remained silent, and opted to stare at the floor.

“Data,” Geordi repeated, “do you really think Q would just do this to humiliate you?”

Data paused, trying to work out the implications of Geordi’s response. He raised his head slowly.

Geordi took a deep breath. “Data, I didn’t believe in love at first sight until I met you. You’re beautiful to me, inside and out. I love you, and I’ve loved you since I first met you. You mean the world to me, and the only reason I never said anything because I was always worried that it’d hurt our friendship. I didn’t think you’d ever have feelings for me.”

Data’s opened his mouth in preparation to respond, but he found himself speechless.

“Now, isn’t that just adorable?” Q exclaimed, breaking the silence.

Geordi turned his head so fast that he was surprised he hadn’t given himself whiplash. “You’ve been alive longer than everyone in Starfleet combined, and you still haven’t figured out what privacy means to people?”

Q mockingly placed a hand on his heart, leaning forward. “Actually, even longer than that.”

Geordi’s lips pressed into a tight line, walking closer to Q. “You violated Data’s free will. You made him say those things. Whether they were true or not, it doesn’t mean that you had the right to do that!”

“Geordi, it is alright,” Data said, his voice gentle.

Geordi opened his mouth as if to continue scolding Q, but decided against it. “If you’re okay, I’m okay.” He turned to face Q again. “That was still a dick move.”

Data paused for a second, unfamiliar with the term, and then smiled in amusement.

“Q, may we return to the Enterprise?”

“What, not even a thank you?” Q leaned back in mock offense. 

Geordi and Data exchanged glances.

“Ugh, fine,” Q whined. “Have fun, you two! Remember to use protection!” He called out, evoking confused, then uncomfortable facial expressions on the two of them. Q smiled as he raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

Geordi and Data both cringed slightly as they materialized back on the Enterprise, half expecting Q to have put them in dresses or something equally ridiculous. Fortunately, they were simply back in sickbay, in the same positions they had been in before. Data checked his internal chronometer. Only half of a second had passed.

The two briefly remained silent, the gentle beeping of the disconnected monitors supplying the only source of sound.

“Did… did you mean what you said back there?” Geordi asked cautiously.

Data stood, facing Geordi. “I meant every word. I regret having been forced to say it, but what I said was true. I am in love with you, Geordi.”

Data’s heartbeat seemed to fill his ears, but the sensation of Geordi’s lips on his quickly quieted his nervous thoughts. He leaned into the kiss, closing his eyes and letting the feeling of complete peace wash over him.

Reluctantly, Geordi was the first to pull away. Data paused briefly before filling the silence. “Generally, human dating customs involve having dinner together or viewing a movie,” Data stated awkwardly, unsure of what else to say.

Geordi chuckled. “I’d like that.”

\-----


End file.
